Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, says bandits kidnapped 27 students, three teachers and unspecified number of other persons from Government Science College early Wednesday morning.
Bello disclosed this at a press conference held shortly after an emergency meeting with heads of security agencies in Minna on Wednesday.
The governor also said the bandits also abducted three staff and 12 family members at the school.
The bandits had early Wednesday stormed the school, abducting and whisking away several students, members of staff, and some members of their families to an unknown destination.
Governor Bello subsequently directed that all boarding schools in Shiroro, Rafi and Muyan be shut down immediately until the situation improves.
“I call on all Nigerlites to condemn all forms of criminality in the state,” he said.
The governor also urged the Federal Government to deploy all necessary security resources to secure the state.
Bello maintained that the state government would not pay ransom to the kidnappers for the release of their victims.
“When you negotiate and pay ransom to criminals, they will use the money to purchase more weapons,” he said.
The governor, however, noted that they would readily support any bandit who repent and surrender his arms.